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Playing mobile MOBA games has become a popular leisure activity among Malaysian youth. However, MOBA games are highly addictive and have negative impacts on adult development. Inadequate local studies investigated the risk factors of excessive MOBA gameplay. The present study examined the (1) predictive role of need frustration on Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and (2) mediating effect of gaming motives. A total of 398 mobile MOBA gamers aged 18 to 29 participated in this cross-sectional online survey study. The findings showed that need frustration positively predicted IGD. Social, escape, competition, coping, and skill motives were significant mediators for the association between need frustration and IGD. However, fantasy and recreation motives were not significant mediators. MOBA players who were frustrated while fulfilling their basic needs may succumb to uncontrollable gaming behavior. Therefore, future prevention and intervention programs should cultivate positive mental strength for youth while meeting their basic needs.

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Purpose To explore the relationship between adolescents’ emotion regulation ability and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior and the role of sleep, exercise, and social support in this relationship. Methods A total of 2573 adolescents were investigated with the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Scale, the Social Support Scale for Children and Adolescents, the Ottawa Self-Injury Questionnaire, and the Self-Made Living Condition Questionnaire, and path analysis was conducted based on the structural equation model (SEM). Results 1) There was a significant correlation between emotion regulation ability and NSSI behavior; 2) sleep and social support played a mediating role between emotion regulation ability and NSSI behavior; and 3) sleep modulated the direct effect of negative emotion regulation ability on NSSI, while exercise modulated the direct effect of positive emotion regulation ability on NSSI, which indicated that sleep and exercise could effectively alleviate NSSI behavior caused by the lack of emotion regulation in adolescents.

Background. The outbreak of Coronavirus-19 or COVID-19 has detrimental effects on the sports industry. Cancellation of sports training and competitions, movement restriction, and social isolation present an emotional challenge for athletes. Objectives. This cross-sectional study examined the prevalence of emotional distress among athletes during the MCO of Covid-19 in Malaysia. Methods. 224 male and 264 female athletes participated in this study in May 2020. The majority of the participants were archers (20.7%), followed by athletics (12.9), netball (8.4%), and badminton (6.6%). An online survey was employed, which consists of three measures: (a) demographic information, (b) Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale -21, and (c) Kessler Psychological Distress Scale -10. Results. The results indicated that 7.2% (N=35) of the participants reported severe to extremely severe stress, 20.5% (N=100) of participants experienced severe to extremely severe anxiety, and 10% (N=49) participants reported severe to extremely severe depression. Moreover, Chi-Square analysis revealed no significant differences between the level of stress, anxiety, and depression based on age, gender, and category of sports (individual vs. team sports), except for gender and depression (X 2 (4, N=488) = 12.18, P= 0.016). More female athletes reported severe depression (20.3%) compared to male athletes (13.4%). Conclusion. This finding suggests further assessment, monitoring, and treatment plan for athletes, especially female athletes, to ensure their mental health and emotional wellbeing during this Covid19 pandemic.

Adolescence is the peak period of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviour, and it is also a period when the prevention and intervention in NSSI are frequently required. To explore the relationship between catastrophising and NSSI and its mechanism, the mediating effects of parental support and negative emotions on catastrophising and NSSI were analysed. A questionnaire was administered to 401 middle school students with a history of NSSI behaviour from 12 schools in Guangxi. (1) Adolescents’ catastrophising tendencies positively predicted their NSSI status through negative emotions (B = 0.274, P < 0.001). The more severe the adolescents’ catastrophising tendency, the more likely they were to have stronger negative emotions and thus show an increased NSSI level. (2) Parental support played a positive moderating role between the tendency to catastrophise and negative emotions (B = −0.101, t = −2.694, P < 0.01), and it had a protective effect on adolescents’ NSSI. Catastrophising was less likely to induce the NSSI behaviour by reducing adolescents’ negative emotions (B = −0.104, t = −2.313, P < 0.05); however, it should be noted that only parental affective support, informative support, and instrumental support played a significant mediating role. Parental support of adolescents has positive effects on the tendency to catastrophise, negative emotions, and NSSI, and it has some implications for the prevention and intervention of adolescents’ NSSI.

The teaching profession has been consistently ranked as the most stressful job in the world today. Teachers who experience prolonged exposure to high levels of work-related stress can find there to be a detrimental effect on their physical health, mental health, social life, and work performance. This study aims to characterise the mental health and wellbeing of secondary school teachers in Malaysia according to gender and age group. We examined burnout levels among 776 secondary school teachers who were measured across three dimensions (i.e., depersonalisation, emotional exhaustion, and personal accomplishment), as well as their sources of stress, manifestations of stress, and psychological symptoms. The quantitative data analysis revealed that most of the teachers had experienced burnout in terms of their personal accomplishments, work-related stressors, and time management, and that it mostly manifested as fatigue. Overall, the sample of secondary school teachers in Malaysia indicates a risk of poor mental health. Further psychological interventions and self-care programs are suggested to help secondary school teachers cope with the early signs of burnout.